HELP! Yellow spotted dying leaves!!
 

Hi yall, I am in the midwest, and I have planted 9 tomato plants all different varieties and the bottom leaves are turning yellow and have brown spots that seem to be consuming the whole branch over time and then dries up and dies. Some of them also the blooms on the very top of the plants are brown and dry in the middle. I am wondering if I may have 2 problems going on at once. Too much water and whiteflies. I say whiteflies b/c I see them fly away when disturbed and also I have silverleafed Zuchinni now, and whiteflies are the culprit for silverleaf in squash plants. I need some Help, I love to garden and will be just sick if I lose my maters.

Sounds like it might be either Early Blight or Septoria Spot -- take a look at the pictures in the [URL="http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/tomatoproblemsolver/index.html"]Tomato Problem Solver[/URL]

As for the blooms, could it be blossom drop from hot weather?

Lots of problems PLEASE HELP!! PIX
 

Hi yall, I posted a few days ago, and now it has finally quit raining so I took some pictures. Can anyone diagnose or confirm my suspicions. I do believe there are more than a couple problems, and dont know where to begin. I would like to stay all organic but also want to save my garden too. Please Help....:(

I can tell you that the biggest problem is that you did not use mulch.:(
With all of the rain you have had it has splashed up dirt on the plants.
This is where it all started.
You also show signs of BER.
I am no expert on tomato sickness I can just tell you why it happened.
You need to cut back all of the sick and dead leaves and stems for a start.

Make sure you clean the scissors before you go from one plant to the next.

Bleach or alcohol will work for this.

If this is only a small amount of your patch that is affected you would be better off pulling up the sick ones to the benefit of the rest.

And use mulch.;)

Oh thank you for responding, I have started cutting all the infected ones back and will continue, but is there something else I could do to try to stop this, I will be putting down mulch as soon as I get them trimmed. If it is Septoria leaf spot what do I do.

I have 2 of the pictures figured out, Blossem End Rot and Catfacing, my main problem is the yellow spotted dying leaves. Are there any treatments you could suggest?

BER is blossom end rot, thats the tomatoes with the black spots on the end.
Here read this from Carolyn
It Tells it the best and you can count on it being right.:)

Worth


[quote=carolyn137;62841]I can't see the need to add Epsom salts, magnesium sulfate OR eggshells, or dolmitic lime or anything else to help prevent BER.

And that' b'c the problem is not one of uptake thru the roots, it's a matter of maldistribution of Ca++ within the plant. Plants that have BER fruits have been shown to have plenty of Ca++ in the vegetative tissues.

Almost any stress can induce BER and the two major ones are overfertiization that causes too rapid growth, and uneven distribution of water.

But too hot, too cold, too dry, too wet can all be inducers.

As the plants mature they are better able to deal with environmental stresses so for most folks BER goes away with time.

If there's NO Ca++ in the soil, which is exceedingly rare, then addition of same is warranted. A soil test will help in that regard. And if the soil is too acidic that can also prevent Ca++ root uptake but that can be corrected by raising the pH of the soil.[/quote]

I added TomatoTone, Epsom Salts, Dolomitic (or Pelletized) Lime, and Bone Meal to my soil. Despite days of nonstop rain, I did not have a single fruit with BER.

chanceysmama,

As others have mentioned, you desperately need mulch.

Either pine mulch, shredded pine bark, etc. DO NOT get the "dyed" mulch which is like bright red or super black. They are chemically treated and are not good for your plants. You can even use newspaper and grass clippings if you want if the grass was NOT weed-n-feeded.

You also need to start spraying to prevent fungal outbreaks on your plants. Daconil (chlorothanonil) 29% a tablespoon per gallon every week sprayed onto your plants from the day you plant your plants until about mid-way through harvest. The daconil should be sprayed all over the leaves including the undersides if you have a good wand sprayer. You can either use a 1 or 2 gallon pump sprayer for $20 or use Ortho dial-n-spray.

Daconil is not an anti-fungal. It is a low toxicity fungus blocker.

Great, Thank you. I will be out first thing in the morning buying Daconil and Pine Mulch.

Another note is, you can buy Daconil pre-mixed in a spray bottle, but it's kind of gloppy and not mixed very well. I would suggest the $12 bottle of concentrate (~29%) and mix it up yourself in a $10 one gallon sprayer. Then you only mix what you need. Daconil breaks down very quickly after it's been mixed. This was a requirement for environmental purposes.

Chanceysmama, There are alternative fungicides to Daconil whether they be organic or inorganic and you should be told that. Here is the toxicology report on it from extoxnet. Ami
[url]http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/chloroth.htm[/url]
By the way, welcome to Tville. Alot of knowlegable folks here on about every aspect of tomato growing and eating.:)

Ami, Thanks for the report. I was definately wondering about the toxicity in my veggies after I use it. Is there something that you would suggest that is effective but organic? Looking for an insecticide also.

[quote=amideutch;64263]Chanceysmama, There are alternative fungicides to Daconil whether they be organic or inorganic and you should be told that. Here is the toxicology report on it from extoxnet. Ami
[URL]http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/chloroth.htm[/URL][/quote]

Serenade is the "organic equivalent" of Daconil.

[I] Facts about [B]Serenade [/B](an OMRI-approved organic fungal control) [URL="http://www.agraquest.com/products/serenade/pdfs/SerenadeASO-MSDS-051506.pdf"]MSDS[/URL]:[/I][LIST][*]May be irritating to skin for some individuals.[*]If product comes into contact with skin, irritation may occur.[/LIST][I]and from the Serenade [URL="http://www.serenadegarden.com/labels/pdf/SGDC-RTU-Label.pdf"]label[/URL]:[/I][LIST][*][B]If inhaled:[/B] Move person to fresh air. If person is not breathing, call 911 or an ambulance, then give artificial respiration, preferably mouth-to-mouth if possible. Call a poison control center or doctor for further treatment advice.[*][B]If in eyes:[/B] Hold eye open and rinse slowly and gently with water for 15-20 minutes. Call a poison control center or doctor for treatment advice.[/LIST][B][CENTER]PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS[/CENTER]
[/B][CENTER][B]HAZARDS TO HUMANS & DOMESTIC ANIMALS[/B]
[B]CAUTION[/B][/CENTER]
Harmful if inhaled. Avoid breathing spray mist. Remove contaminated clothing and wash before reuse. Avoid contact with skin, eyes, or clothing. Wash thoroughly with soap and water.



Facts about [B]Daconil[/B]:
* Daconil concentrate for home gardens contains 29.6% chlorathalonil.
* Daconil is diluted anywhere from 1 to 3 tsp (1 tbsp) per gallon depending on crop.
* There are 768 teaspoons in a gallon.
[code]
[B] Daconil Ratio chlorathalonil (%)[/B]
undiluted ~3:1 29.6%
1 tsp 768:1 .039%
2 tsp 384:1 .077%
3 tsp 256:1 .116%
[/code]
[list][*]Tomatoes sprayed with daconil can be washed and eaten the same day plants are sprayed.[*]For tomatoes, Daconil is applied at 256:1 ratio. Cases of exposure to Daconil causing skin and eye irritation were cases of 70% daconil, not .116%.[*]Chlorothalonil is practically nontoxic to birds.[*]The compound is nontoxic to bees.[*]In a number of tests of varying lengths of time, rats fed a range of doses of chlorothalonil generally showed no effects on physical appearance, behavior, or survival.[*]Chlorothalonil is rapidly excreted, primarily unchanged, from the body. It is not stored in animal tissues.[/list]

Before I would worry about the use of Daconil I would first worry about all of the stuff you use in your home and the pills you take ointments you put on your skin or the stuff you buy at the store.

At least you are in control of the stuff you use on your garden and can wash it off.
I would start looking at all of the plastics and such, how it is made and how it pollutes the environment even after it is made.

The same people that jump on the band wagon about chemicals in the garden will go out and buy stuff in polystyrene containers.

I used to live by and work in a plant that made the stuff and grew tired of the black cloud that arose from the stacks every night while the fog was in so folk’s couldn’t see it.

By the way, where do all of the batteries go in those so called environmentally friendly cars after they are used up?

I have no problem with Daconil.
The early use of Daconil and the use of mulch is by far a good way to start on the right path to a healthy tomato plant.

I’m not trying to start an argument here, I just want people to think about things a little.
Well maybe a lot.

Then make up your mind.;)

Worth

Yeah, I know. I am going with the Daconil. Seems to be the best bet, and not going to kill me. So as much as I'd like to stay away from chemicals I have found out the hard way that it is almost impossible to keep a garden organic without losing everything. I really appreciate everyones help with my problems and so glad I found this site. I am kind of new to gardening and still learning the tricks of the trade. Well off to the local garden center for meds, and some more plants to start on my patio. Just in case.....

Patio Plants in Pots-- Any suggestions??
 

Ok, I am going to pot a couple of new plants and keep on my deck. I bought top of the line topsoil, should I do anything else to it before I plant? I also have a jalapeno pepper I am going to pot, are there any concerns with them being to close to each other.:D

Yes, whatever you do, don't use topsoil in a pot. ;) Potting Mix or Pro-Mix is recommended.

No concern about tomatoes and peppers close to each other.

I second what Feldon just said, don't use topsoil in a pot. If you haven't opened the bag yet, take it back and exchange it for potting mix, not potting soil. Topsoil, or even potting soil, will turn to concrete in a container. It won't do your plants any good. I use Miracle-Gro potting mix and have no problems with it.

Follow up on Daconil
 

:D ok, Thanks. I will do that. Glad I asked. I have sprayed all of my others with Daconil and trimmed all the yucky branches off, they already look so much better, I just hope they dont sun scald if it gets really hot here. They dont have much protection now. I also purchased an insecticide and am waiting till early morning to spray that, thought I should let the Daconil dry before I spray insecticide. Anyone have any suggestions on that for in the future.:D

Thank you. The only thing equivilant between Serenade and Daconil is they are fungicides. Their chemical makeup and how they combat fungus is totally different. One is organic and the other inorganic. Chanceysmama, my point is look before you leap. The people here at Tville have nothing but good intentions. As Feldon has pointed out in his subsequent post there are alternatives to Daconil. This year I am using a product called Actinovate and have had excellent results so far. I'm also going to try a product called CBF-2606 from ecochem. Here are some links to both. Ami
[url]http://www.naturalindustries.com/sp.html[/url]
[url]http://www.ecochem.com/t_cbf.html[/url]

How many applications of Daconil?
 

It has been 6 days since my first application of Daconil and removing bad foilage, and it is still progressing up the plant. How soon should I see results? I am going to reapply but just dont know what to expect.:?

The last photo is septoria leaf spot, which I'm pretty sure just keeps progressing up the plant no matter what/when you spray. Google it. . . I think you may be able to still get some fruit, unlike some of the other diseases out there:)

chanceysmama, here is a link that should help. The problem is once your plant is infected you can put all the daconil you want on it but it will not help. Daconil is a "Foliar Protectant". When a plant is already infected you need a "Systemic Fungicide" that will eradicate the disease. Ami
[url]http://www.plantanswers.com/garden_column/april04/4.htm[/url]

Ami, so if I use a systemic fungicide will it stop it? Will it get into the flesh of the toms. The thought of it in my forming toms kind of makes me not even want any at all.

[quote=chanceysmama;65478]Ami, so if I use a systemic fungicide will it stop it? Will it get into the flesh of the toms. The thought of it in my forming toms kind of makes me not even want any at all.[/quote]

I'd recommend you remove affected foliage, then keep spraying with Daconil.

Generally speaking, systemic fungicides for use on vegetable/fruit crops aren't readily available to the home grower. Folks aren't going to be able to just run to the garden center and pick them up or even easily order online. Frequently, a license is required to obtain such products, and they are sold in rather large quantities for the commercial grower. Also, be aware that not just any systemic can be used on food crops. Actually, there are very few that can be.

Topsin M, mentioned in the column that Ami linked to, isn't readily available to the public as far as I know. (If someone has info to the contrary, please post it). I guess I find it a little odd that the author would recommend it, since the column seems to be for home gardeners.

On a side note, one systemic that comes to mind that I've been meaning to read more about is Quadris. But that's another topic. ;)

[quote=Suze;65485]I'd recommend you remove affected foliage, then keep spraying with Daconil.[/quote]

One more point. Sometimes, "affected foliage" won't always be visible to your eyes. What I mean by this is that some of the seemingly unaffected foliage may already have the fungal spores present on the surface, but no lesions have resulted yet.

So, when you remove visibly affected foliage and spray, you may very well see yet more lesions appear on the plant. This tends to make folks think the Daconil isn't doing its job. But it is. ;) As Ami points out, it is not an anti-fungal per se, but more of a foliar protectant.

Just keep removing visibly affected foliage and spraying should you decide to stick with the Daconil route.

chanceysmama, I'm not that familiar with systemic fungicides but I came across this product that may meet your needs. Here is a link to where you can buy and another about the product. Maybe suze will chime in as to what she thinks about the product as well. Ami
[url]http://www.merrifieldgardencenter.com/products.php?pid=99015478&openparent=116[/url]
[url]http://nature.berkeley.edu/garbelotto/downloads/AgrifosBrochure.pdf[/url]

Re: Lots of problems PLEASE HELP!! PIX
 

I'm not sure how Serenade seemed to get a bad rap earlier in the post, perhaps the poster was unfamiliar with the product? This is my first year useing the product but thus far, I have nothing but praise for it. Over the last 5 years in my small urban backyard garden and being unable to rotate my Tomato, Pepper, and Eggplant crops, I have had a plague of soil borne diseases (last year being the worst). This year I planted on black plastic and after researching SERENADE decided to purchase some. After a bad storm laid down many of my tomato plants (many coverered with infected garden soli) I began to apply SERENADE. After applying SERENADE for 3 weeks (once every 7 days as recommended) I only had 1 plant that showed the slightest signs on Blight or Anthracnose.

From [URL="http://www.serenadegarden.com"]www.serenadegarden.com[/URL]
Serenade Garden Disease Control is a broad spectrum, preventative biofungicide recommended for the control or suppression of many important plant diseases (see section below). It may be used on vegetables, fruits and nuts including tomatoes, peppers, melons, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, onions, apples, pears and walnuts in addition to annual and perennial bedding plants and flowers, roses, potted flowers, foliage plants, trees and shrubs located in residential greenhouses and residential and commercial landscapes and interiorscapes. Serenade Garden Disease Control can be applied up to and including the day of harvest.
Diseases Controlled
Following is a list of vegetable, fruit, nut and ornamental diseases controlled or suppressed by Serenade Garden Disease Control RTU:
[B]Anthracnose[/B] ([I]Colletotrichum[/I] spp.)
[B]Bacteria[/B] ([I]Erwinia, Pseudomonas, Xanthomonas[/I] spp.)
[B]Bacterial Leaf Blight [/B]([I]Xanthomonas campestris[/I])
[B]Bacterial Speck[/B] ([I]Pseudomonas syringae[/I] pv. Tomato)
[B]Bacterial Spot[/B] ([I]Xanthomonas[/I] spp.) - suppression
[B]Black Mold[/B] ([I]Alternaria alternata[/I])
[B]Black Root Rot / Black Crown Rot[/B] ([I]Alternaria[/I] spp.)
[B]Black Spot of Rose[/B] ([I]Diplocarpon rosea[/I])
[B]Botrytis[/B] ([I]Botrytis[/I] spp.)
[B]Downy Mildew[/B] ([I]Bremia lactucae, Personospora [/I]spp.) and ([I]Plasmopara viticola[/I] - suppression)
[B]Early Blight[/B] ([I]Alternaria solani[/I])
[B]Fire Blight [/B]([I]Erwinia amylovora[/I]) - suppression
[B]Gray Mold[/B] ([I]Botrytis cinerea[/I])
[B]Late Blight[/B] ([I]Phtytophthora infestans[/I])
[B]Leaf Spots and Rusts[/B] - ([I]Alternaria, Cercospora, Entomosporium, Helminthsporium, Myrothecium, Septoria, Puccinia, and Phragmidium[/I] spp.)
[B]Pin Rot[/B] ([I]Alternaria / Xanthomonas[/I] complex) - suppression
[B]Powdery Mildew[/B] ([I]Uncinula necator, Erysiphe[/I] spp., [I]Sphaerotheca[/I] spp., [I]Oidiopsis taurica, Leveillula taurica, Podosphaera leucotricha[/I])
[B]Scab[/B] ([I]Venturia[/I] spp.) - suppression
[B]Walnut Blight [/B]([I]Xanthomonas campestris[/I])

Serenade Garden provides protection against a broad spectrum of the most common fungal and bacterial garden diseases, yet is completely non-toxic to bees and beneficial insects. It is so safe you can confidently harvest and eat fruits and vegetables the very same day they are treated. Unlike sulfur-based disease control products, Serenade Garden is non-irritating to skin and lungs. And, unlike neem oil-based products that can injure plant foliage, there are no weather or timing restrictions limiting its application.
Serenade Garden Disease Control RTU and Concentrate are acceptable for organic production by the [URL="http://www.epa.gov/"][B][COLOR=#000000]Environmental Protection Agency[/COLOR][/B][/URL] (EPA) through the [URL="http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexNet.htm"][B][COLOR=#000000]National Organic Program[/COLOR][/B][/URL] (NOP) of the [URL="http://www.usda.gov/"][B][COLOR=#000000]United States Department of Agriculture[/COLOR][/B][/URL] (USDA) and are also listed by the [URL="http://www.omri.org/"][B][COLOR=#000000]Organic Materials Review Institute[/COLOR][/B][/URL] (OMRI).
Serenade Garden - safety, convenience and effective disease control in a bottle, for the health of your garden, your family and your loved ones.

GManess, nothing wrong with Serenade. It is a fine product. The problem was chanceysmama's plants were already infected and a preventative fungicide was not going to help. When you start using it from the get go you are all right. After the fact is the problem and thats where systemic fungicides come into play. Ami

For preventive action, I have found using Serenade on a weekly basis has really helped cut back on various foliage diseases. I also use Messenger. Since I've been using these two, my garden has done much better - less disease, more tomatoes.
A few years ago I did try Daconil for gray spot on my tomatoes. I found it kept things from getting worse and stopped it from spreading, although truthfully I couldn't stand the smell of it.

Yes, next year, chanceysmama, I would recommend you start spraying a fungal control from the DAY of transplant every week through the season. Practically dip your plants in the stuff at plant out. And this is in addition to using 4-8" of mulch. It's up to you to decide on Serenade vs Daconil, I say use whatever works. :)

I've seen enough people try Serenade in the South and Southeast and get insufficient protection and switch to Daconil which resolved their problems that I went straight for the Daconil. I didn't want to "experiment" for 2-3 years. I wanted tomatoes. Call me greedy. ;)

Also, the rainstorms we get in S.E. Texas are quite unlike what most people are familiar with.

In New York, the city was basically shut down because 3 inches of rain fell in a span of 3 hours. In Houston, we get two to three storms per year that dump rain at twice that speed. Almost every year I have lived here, we've had at least one 3-4 day-long "monsoon event" with 12-20 inches falling in just a couple of days.